U.S. patent application number 14/065765 was filed with the patent office on 2014-05-01 for vehicular suspension enhancement.
This patent application is currently assigned to SuperSprings International, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is SuperSprings International, Inc.. Invention is credited to Gerard A. Lamberti.
Application Number | 20140117640 14/065765 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50546331 |
Filed Date | 2014-05-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140117640 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lamberti; Gerard A. |
May 1, 2014 |
VEHICULAR SUSPENSION ENHANCEMENT
Abstract
A vehicular suspension enhancer comprises a pair of vertically
oriented spring portions, one portion mounted to the axle and the
other portion mounted to the frame. Each vehicle axle can be
equipped with two suspension enhancers, one enhancer located on
each side of an axle. Each of the spring portions are positioned in
the space between the axle and the vehicular frame, with the distal
ends of each spring portion facing one another with a space between
the distal ends defining a gap. The gap between the facing spring
portions will increase in response to an increase in the distance
between frame and axle.
Inventors: |
Lamberti; Gerard A.;
(Carpinteria, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SuperSprings International, Inc. |
Carpinteria |
CA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
SuperSprings International,
Inc.
Carpinteria
CA
|
Family ID: |
50546331 |
Appl. No.: |
14/065765 |
Filed: |
October 29, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61720151 |
Oct 30, 2012 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
280/124.164 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16F 3/0873 20130101;
B60G 2204/125 20130101; B60G 11/38 20130101; B60G 11/00 20130101;
B60G 2202/112 20130101; B60G 2202/143 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
280/124.164 |
International
Class: |
B60G 11/00 20060101
B60G011/00 |
Claims
1. A suspension system for a vehicle having a frame, an axle for
supporting at least one tire on either end and a pair of shock
absorbers supporting the axle to the frame, the improvement
comprising: a pair of suspension enhancers for operative attachment
to the frame and axle, each of said suspension enhancers
comprising: a lower spring portion operatively attached to the
axle, said lower spring portion having a first end proximal to the
axle and a distal end; an upper spring portion operatively attached
to the frame, said upper spring portion having a first end proximal
to the frame and a distal end; and, where the distal ends of said
spring portions are positioned to face one another but are not
attached to one another; and said upper spring portion can not be
subjected to a compressive force unless in contact with said lower
spring portion.
2. The suspension system of claim 1 where no enclosure is present
to contain said spring portions between the rear axle and
frame.
3. The suspension system of claim 1 where a gap exists between the
distal ends of said spring portions.
4. The suspension system of claim 3 where the gap between said
distal ends of said spring portions increases in response to an
increase in distance between the rear axle and frame.
5. The suspension system of claim 1 where the density of said lower
spring portion is different than the density of said upper spring
portion.
6. The suspension system of claim 1 where each of said spring
portions consist of a non-metallic composition.
7. The suspension system of claim 1 where at least one of said
spring portions is casted from cellular polyurethane elastomer
using a polyol diisocyanate mixture containing
naphthalene-1,5-diisocyanate (NDI)-terminated prepolymer, water,
and a polyol selected from the group consisting of polyether
polyol, polyester polyol, or a combination thereof said elastomer
having a density of between 0.35-0.65 g/cc.
8. The suspension system of claim 1 where the distal end of said
lower spring portion includes a male extension and where the distal
end of said upper spring portion includes a complimentary female
cavity.
9. The suspension system of claim 7 where said at least one of said
spring portions consist of VULKOLLAN.RTM..
10. A suspension enhancer for installation in a space between the
axle and frame of a vehicle consisting of: a lower spring portion
having a distal end with a male extension; an upper spring portion
having a distal end with a complementary female cavity for
interfacing with the distal end of the lower portion; both said
spring portions are sized for operative engagement with each other;
said upper spring portion further having a proximal end bonded to a
first plate for mounting to the frame; said lower spring portion
further having a proximal end attached to a second plate for
mounting to the axle; at least one of said spring portions
consisting essentially of a cellular polyurethane elastomer made
from at least one isocyanate mixture and a polyol selected from the
group consisting of polyether polyol, polyester polyol, or a
combination thereof; with water used as a blowing agent during the
hot casting process to achieve a density of between 0.35-0.65 g/cc;
said upper and said lower spring portions capable of being aligned
within the space between axle and frame so the distal ends of each
spring portion can contact one another.
11. The suspension enhancer of claim 10 where said at least one
isocyanate mixture is a polyol diisocyanate mixture containing
naphthalene-1,5-diisocyanate (NDI)-terminated prepolymer.
12. The suspension enhancer of claim 10 where said upper spring
portion for mounting to the axle includes a first bracket
configured for attachment to the frame and where said lower spring
portion includes a second bracket configured for attachment to the
axle; where each of said brackets have at least one aperture, each
having a common axis of symmetry with a respective mounting plate
aperture and spring aperture for using a screw to secure a
respective bracket to a respective spring portion.
13. A method for providing improved ride stability to a travelling
vehicle having a frame and at least two axles and further having a
space between both axles and frame comprising the steps of:
providing a first spring portion having a distal end and proximal
end, said proximal end bonded to a first mounting plate for
attachment to an axle; and providing a second spring portion having
a distal end and a proximal end, said proximal end attached to a
second mounting plate for attachment to the frame and the distal
end of said second spring portion sized for contact with only the
distal end of said first spring portion; securing said first
mounting plate to the axle where said first spring portion is
positioned in a space between the frame and axle and orientated so
said distal end faces the adjacent frame; and, securing said second
mounting plate upon the frame so the distal end of said second
spring portion faces the distal end of the adjacent said first
spring portion and a gap is defined as the space between said
distal ends.
14. The method of claim 13 where at least one of said spring
portions consist of a polyol diisocyanate mixture containing
naphthalene-1,5-diisocyanate (NDI)-terminated prepolymer and polyol
selected from the group consisting of polyether polyol, polyester
polyol, or a combination thereof with water used as a blowing agent
during the hot casting process to achieve a density of between
0.35-0.65 g/cc.
15. The method of claim 14 where said first spring portion and said
second spring portion consist of VULKOLLAN.RTM..
16. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:
travelling the vehicle and in response to an event causing the
space between an axle and frame of the vehicle to increase, the gap
between the distal ends of said first spring portion and said
second spring portion will increase.
17. A suspension enhancer for installation in a space between the
axle and frame of a vehicle comprising: a lower spring portion
having a distal end with a male extension; an upper spring portion
having a distal end with a complementary female cavity for
interfacing with the distal end of the lower portion; both said
spring portions are sized for operative engagement with each other;
at least one of said spring portions consist of cellular
polyurethane foam having a density of between 0.35-0.65 g/cc; and,
said upper and said lower spring portions capable of being aligned
within the space between axle and frame so the distal ends of said
lower spring portion and said upper spring portion can contact one
another.
18. The suspension enhancer of claim 17 where said first spring
portion and said second spring portion consist of VULKOLLAN.RTM..
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional
patent application bearing Ser. No. 61/720,151 filed Oct. 30, 2012,
the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in
its entirety for all purposes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Vehicular suspensions are well known for providing a
smoother and more comfortable ride for driver and passengers. A
typical embodiment for a rear suspension system utilizes a
combination of leaf spring packs which provide support, and shock
absorbers which provide damping; both of which are operatively
attached between the axle and vehicular chassis frame. When
traveling upon a rough road or off-road terrain, the vehicle wheels
and axles can rapidly oscillate up and down; the frequency
increasing with increased velocity of the vehicle and the severity
of the terrain. This oscillation is facilitated by the vehicle's
suspension system which determines the extent of vertical travel
distance and degree of occupant comfort.
[0003] When a vehicle such as a pick-up truck has its cargo bed
heavily loaded, the supporting springs compress downward upon the
rear end causing the front end of the vehicle to rise. This
downward movement of the frame towards the rear axle reduces the
available vertical travel range of the rear suspension. For
vehicles having their wheels positioned underneath the frame in a
tire well, an extreme load could cause the tires to undesirably
contact the vehicular body or cause the axle to contact the frame.
As a preventative measure, rear bump-stops or limiters have been
utilized such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,687 issued
to Ishii which while preventing damage to the vehicle, do little to
address ride comfort of the occupants of the vehicle. The rear end
sag also negatively impacts steering control and handling as the
vehicular load is not properly distributed between front and rear
suspensions.
[0004] Furthermore, pick-up truck manufacturers presently are
designing trucks with the ride quality of a sedan in an effort to
attract a broader customer base. To achieve this additional level
of ride comfort, leaf spring-packs have been substantially
lengthened. The drawback is that a longer spring-pack does not
support as heavy a load as do shorter spring-packs. Also, longer
spring-packs are susceptible to increased lateral twisting which
increases the propensity for body roll. Many drivers do not carry
substantial loads and these concerns do not become an issue.
However, for vehicles which often carry heavy loads, longer
spring-packs provide a comfortable ride when the heavy load is not
present but cause the distance between frame and axle to become
undesirably close when loaded. This reduced vertical distance is
detrimental to ride quality. For this situation, the incorporation
of a suspension enhancement becomes a necessity for improving ride
comfort.
[0005] Prior art suspension enhancers are limited in their maximum
displacement; i.e. from total compression to total stretch;
otherwise known as wheel travel. A faster rate of wheel travel,
i.e. a faster rate that the enhancer can change from total
compression to total stretch, is highly desirable particularly in
demanding conditions, such as off-road.
[0006] With respect to traveling in off-road conditions, it was
observed that most vehicles are generally light weight and are
unable to effectively stretch or elongate existing prior art
suspension enhancers fast enough to keep both rear wheels fully in
contact with the road surface. Ride comfort was further exacerbated
when vehicles attempt to make sharp turns at higher speed the
inside rear wheel will momentarily lose contact with the ground and
traction is lost during this period.
[0007] One example of a prior art suspension enhancer is a product
marketed by Timbren Industries Inc., Ajax, Ontario, Canada. The
enhancer comprises an extended hollow cylindrical-shaped piece of
resilient rubber which replaces the factory bump-stop and is
attached to the vehicular chassis frame. The product when
installed, does not contact with the adjacent axle; rather, it
provides a spacing such as 1 inch or more. When the bed of a
pick-up equipped with this product is loaded with sufficient
weight, the vehicle frame will lower and the product will contact
the vehicle axle. While this product does provide additional
support and ride comfort when an increased load is being hauled,
the product is detrimental to ride comfort in situations where no
additional load is being hauled. For this lighter-load situation,
the product will only contact the adjacent axle when the axle
displaces upward as a result of a compression event occurring; such
as when the vehicle traverses a speed-bump, pothole or other
roadway elevation. This contact is more aptly described as an
impact event since the rubber contact with the axle is often hard
and sudden, and a suitable damping effect is lacking as undesired
oscillation can continue for some time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] A vehicular suspension enhancer is disclosed which improves
upon the prior art embodiments to provide a more efficient load
support system for vehicles. The suspension enhancer of my
invention is a complimentary addition to the vehicle's suspension
system. Rather than a suspension enhancer comprising a single
spring which is mounted on one end to the axle and on the other end
to the frame, the suspension enhancer of the present invention
comprises an upper spring portion mounted to the frame and a
separate lower spring portion mounted to the axle and aligned for
the distal surfaces of each to engage one another.
[0009] The upper spring portion and lower spring portion are
detached from each other yet remain aligned for contact. The only
contact occurs when the facing distal ends mate, an example of
which is illustrated in FIG. 4 as a result of a decrease in
distance between axle and frame.
[0010] The vehicular suspension enhancer is particularly designed
for use with vehicles having suspension systems which are designed
for ride comfort. When a heavy load is to be carried by this type
of vehicle equipped with the suspension enhancers, the spring
portions will provide additional support and damping character
necessary to maintain the ride comfort of the occupants.
[0011] By utilizing a suspension enhancer having separate upper and
lower spring portions, the damping character of the enhancer can be
improved without consideration of the rate of change from a
compressed condition to a stretched condition as is the case for a
single piece enhancer connected to both frame and axle.
[0012] A preferred embodiment of the two-portion spring enhancer
has at least one of the portions being a casting consisting of
cellular polyurethane foam. This material has been shown to exhibit
superior damping characteristics when compared to other materials
used in prior art suspension systems such as rubber or neoprene.
The spring portions contemplated by my invention are non-metallic
compositions since metallic compositions possess less than desired
damping quality and resiliency related to wheel travel. In a first
situation, the spring portions are compressible into one another
when a force displaces the axle toward the vehicle frame and
independent of one another in the opposite direction of travel. In
a second situation and specifically when a pair of suspension
enhancers are mounted to a rear axle and the vehicle is temporarily
hauling a heavy load, the spring portions will remain in constant
contact.
[0013] The preferred use of my suspension enhancer is in
combination with the existing rear suspension system of a vehicle
intended to carry or tow heavy loads and/or traveling off-road
although the enhancer can also be used to supplement the front axle
suspension.
[0014] By having separate spring portions, my suspension enhancer
does not diminish the maximum possible unrestricted vertical wheel
travel for the existing rear suspension system of the vehicle. This
two-portion suspension enhancer configuration, in combination with
the superior damping characteristics of the material of
construction, maximizes driver comfort particularly when heavily
loaded and/or when travelling on poor road conditions. The separate
spring portions are designed and mounted to the vehicle so that
each will be in contact with one another during a compression event
and can separate away from each other as the distance between axle
and frame exceed a predetermined distance.
[0015] Preferably, when both spring portions are correctly mounted
respectively to axle and frame of an unloaded vehicle, a gap or
vertical space is present between the distal ends. This preferred
configuration takes into account that the existing suspension
system of the vehicle is adequate for non-heavy load situations.
Nevertheless, mounting of the spring portions can be configured so
that the distal ends are in contact with each other so no gap
exists unless an event occurs which increases the distance between
axle and frame.
[0016] Because of separate spring portions being implemented, it is
critical that the spring portions be correctly aligned with one
another so that the proper support and damping effect can be
achieved. Preferably, the distal end of one of the spring portions
will have a male extension and the other spring portion will have a
complimentary female cavity for engagement with the male
extension.
[0017] As used herein, upper spring portion and lower spring
portion consist of resilient non-metallic spring compositions.
[0018] In one preferable embodiment of my invention, the bottom
face of the upper spring portion mounted to the frame and the top
face of the lower spring portion mounted to the axle are formed as
a "spigot and socket" type joint as best illustrated in FIG. 4. The
conical length of the male extension and the complimentary female
cavity of the opposing spring portion facilitates proper alignment
during a compression event which causes the distance between axle
and frame to shorten. Proper alignment is critical to ensure
maximum surface area contact between both faces and optimum
effectiveness as a damping device. In a most preferred embodiment
of the invention, the top end of the conical male extension is flat
rather than pointed. The flat top area of the male extension and
the complimentary flat surface on the upper portion increases the
overall contact surface area of the upper and lower spring
portions.
[0019] In another embodiment of my invention, the male extension is
defined by a segment of the top face which is convex which contacts
with a complimentary female cavity of the distal portion that is
concave.
[0020] To ensure my male/female joint design would function in the
sandy conditions of a desert as well as the icy conditions
encountered in cold weather climates, the male/female joint
interface is orientated with the male portion extending upward from
the axle and the female portion extending downward from the
vehicular frame. This arrangement prevents foreign matter from
accumulating in the well of the female cavity which could
potentially cause damage.
[0021] The spring portions are designed to be durable and
preferably no enclosure is necessary to contain or protect the
spring portions when they are properly mounted and positioned
between the axle and frame.
[0022] Because my suspension enhancer is comprised of two separate
spring portions, each portion can be made: a) of the same material
having the same density; b) of the same material but having
different densities; or, c) of different material having different
damping and compressive characteristics. In other words, the
damping coefficient of the upper spring portion can be different
than the lower spring portion. The ability to vary the compression
quality of each portion can permit customized suspension systems
which are not possible for suspension systems relying upon a
homogenized, single spring configuration.
[0023] Besides cellular polyurethane foam, other non-metallic
compositions for use as a spring portion can include but are not
limited to rubber (natural or butyl) and neoprene.
[0024] Because automotive design is not uniform between make and
model, configuration of the suspension enhancer of the present
invention will vary to some degree; particularly with respect to
mounting within the available space between the axle and frame.
Thus, the upper and lower portions of my suspension enhancer are
secured respectively to the frame and axle by any conventional
method used today.
[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the spring portions both have
proximal ends which are bonded to respective mounting plates. One
mounting plate is adapted for operative attachment to an axle and
the other mounting plate is adapted for operative attachment to the
vehicular frame so that the distal ends of both spring portions are
capable of contact with each other. In a more preferred embodiment,
two suspension enhancers are equipped per axle.
[0026] Accordingly, the term operative attachment is used herein to
describe the attachment of each spring portion to either the
respective axle or frame. Operative attachment can include the
combination of brackets, bolts and nuts, and holes in the mounting
plates necessary for securing the spring portion to the vehicle in
ways well known to those having skill in the art.
[0027] The spring portions are orientated for operative engagement
with one another. One portion mounted to the axle and the other
portion mounted to the frame and aligned so that the distal ends
will mate or operatively engage when either a compression event
occurs or when the vehicle is sufficiently loaded with additional
weight so the frame will lower and the both portions will contact.
Because of the vertical orientation, the springs, and their
respective mounting hardware, can be referred to as the top portion
and the bottom portion respectively of the suspension enhancer.
[0028] Providing a suspension enhancer having separate but
mate-able top and bottom portions significantly improves driving
comfort by allowing more wheel travel which increases the
probability of the tires remaining in contact with the ground
surface for longer periods of time.
[0029] My invention contemplates that at least one of the spring
portions be casted from a cellular polyurethane elastomer. The
elastomer can be made from at least one isocyanate mixture and a
polyol selected from the group consisting of polyether polyol,
polyester polyol, or a combination thereof; with water used as a
blowing agent during the hot casting process to achieve a density
of between 0.35-0.65 g/cc. A process for the production of cellular
polyurethane elastomer is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,970; the
contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. A spring
portion casted in this manner results in a resilient, homogeneous
casting which can be repeatedly compressed 70% of its unstressed
length i.e. compressed to 30% of its unstressed length. The casting
process creates a foam body with micro-pockets of encapsulated gas
throughout the casting which allows the casting to be significantly
compressed and possess superior damping characteristics.
[0030] Upper and/or lower spring portions consisting of the
cellular polyurethane elastomer described above exhibit progressive
compression strain behavior up to at least 11,000 lb compressive
load; with increased compressive strain (or deformation) of the
spring portions the corresponding compressive forces increase
exponentially. This progressive or non-linear relationship between
compressive force and spring deformation is a desirable
characteristic for ride comfort.
[0031] In a most preferred embodiment, a novel feature of my
invention is to provide a contact interface where both contacting
surfaces consist of the cellular polyurethane elastomer described
above. Rather than having a resilient rubber material contacting
the metallic surface of the axle as is well known in the prior art
where the contact can be described as continuous, sudden impacts
when travelling over a rough surface, my invention presents a
foam-to-foam contact interface which takes advantage of the
non-linear load vs. compression rate relationship described
earlier. The non-linear load vs. compression rate is improved due
to the foam-foam interface as compared to a foam-metal or
rubber-metal interface. In other words, the contact surface being
foam-to-foam facilitates a more gradual displacement of frame and
axle toward each other during a compression event rather than the
faster displacement and abrupt termination which occurs with, for
example, a bump stop.
[0032] A first alternative embodiment for my spring enhancer
consists of a lower spring portion having a distal end with a male
extension and an upper spring portion having a distal end with a
complementary female cavity for interfacing with the distal end of
the lower portion, where both spring portions are sized for
operative engagement with each other, the upper spring portion
having a proximal end bonded to a first plate for mounting to the
axle and the lower spring portion having a proximal end attached to
a second plate for mounting to the frame. At least one of the
spring portions consist of a cellular polyurethane elastomer made
from at least one isocyanate mixture and a polyol selected from the
group consisting of polyether polyol, polyester polyol, or a
combination thereof; with water used as a blowing agent during the
hot casting process to achieve a density of between 0.35-0.65 g/cc.
The upper spring portion is capable of being mounted to the frame
and the lower spring portion capable of being mounted to the axle;
and both spring portions are capable of being aligned to each other
so the distal ends of each spring portion can contact one
another.
[0033] A key feature of my invention is to enhance the performance
of a vehicle's suspension system by supplementing the conventional
factory spring (two per axle) with the addition of my two portion
composite suspension enhancer (two per axle) and for use upon at
least the rear suspension. Ride comfort can be maximized by
optimizing the material shape and density of one spring portion
relative to the other. In addition, because my suspension enhancer
is properly sized for each vehicle make and model, the lower
portion, which is operatively secured to the axle, functions as a
landing pad for the upper portion to make contact.
[0034] With respect to the shape of the spring portions, the shape
can be of any configuration to provide suitable damping. Preferred
configurations can include a cylindrical shape, a cylindrical shape
including one or more convolutions, and a tapered overall
configuration.
[0035] My suspension enhancer is capable of enduring high dynamic
stress with minimal permanent deformation and exhibits a high
degree of abrasion resistance. Use of cellular polyurethane
elastomeric spring portions as the preferred embodiment, improves
resistance to water absorption and performance will not be
compromised in high humidity or aqueous conditions. Because of its
gas encapsulated cellular structure, there is reduced transverse
expansion during compression.
[0036] Installation is simple; incorporating a bracket designed to
attach to the frame of a specific vehicle model and another bracket
designed to attach to the axle or suspension spring.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0037] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the mounting of the
suspension enhancer to the rear axle and frame of a vehicle.
[0038] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of my suspension enhancer
attached to an axle and the frame of a vehicle.
[0039] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the suspension enhancer in
relation to the axle and frame of a vehicle.
[0040] FIG. 4 is a side view of the suspension enhancer
relationship to frame and axle of a vehicle at rest.
[0041] FIG. 5 is a side view of the suspension enhancer during a
compression event.
[0042] FIG. 6 is a side view of the suspension enhancer during the
expansion portion of an oscillation cycle.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0043] The figures provided herein are not drawn to scale and are
presented to illustrate the operative relationship of the
suspension enhancer to a vehicle.
[0044] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a rear axle and
the suspension components for that side of the axle. Not shown are
the similar suspension components and portion of the rear axle for
the other side of the vehicle. The generic representation
illustrates how upper portion 14 and lower portion 12 of the
suspension enhancer can be incorporated as part of the rear
suspension of a vehicle having axle A, leaf spring set L and shock
absorber S.
[0045] FIG. 2 illustrates the two portion suspension enhancer 10
along with the component parts necessary to mount to a vehicle.
[0046] Lower portion 12 of suspension enhancer 10 would be attached
to axle A or spring-pack L and upper portion 14 attached to the
vehicle frame F. Two suspension enhancers 10 would preferably be
mounted to rear axle A of a vehicle; one for each side of the
axle.
[0047] Proper positioning and alignment of upper portion 14 and
lower portion 12 is illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6. The
distal ends of both upper portion 14 and lower portion 12 face one
another.
[0048] Bonded to the proximal end of portions 12 and 14 during the
casting process are respective end plates 16 and 18; i.e. plate 16
affixed to lower portion 12 and plate 18 affixed to upper portion
14.
[0049] End plates 16 and 18 provide structural support when
suspension enhancer 10 is operatively aligned and mounted to axle A
and frame F. Threaded holes are provided in the proximal ends of
portions 12 and 14 to frictionally engage screws 20 to respective
mounting brackets 24 and 26. The threaded holes can be created as
part of the casting process or can be drilled subsequent to
casting. Bolts 28 and nuts 30 are used to mount lower portion 12 to
axle A using axle supports 32 and 34.
[0050] As can be viewed in FIG. 2, bracket 26 is secured to frame F
and bracket 24 is secured to axle A so that respective portions 14
and 12 are vertically aligned with one another.
[0051] Portions 12 and 14 are casted from a cellular polyurethane
elastomeric structure, preferably made in accordance with the
requirements for manufacture of VULKOLLAN.RTM. under license from
Bayer Aktiengesellschaft.
[0052] Once both the top and bottom portions are mounted to frame
and axle respectively, the relationship of upper portion 14 and
lower portion 12 are generally in the position illustrated in FIG.
4 and illustrates a gap between the distal surfaces of portions 12
and 14. During a compression event, such as when axle A travels
over a speed bump or the like, frame F and axle A will travel in a
direction toward each other as represented by the arrows in FIG. 5.
The degree of compressibility of lower portion 12 and upper portion
14 will be dependent upon the actual force applied. However, during
the upstroke depicted by FIG. 6, the gap spacing is greater than
present in FIG. 4 and vertical movement of frame F in the +y
direction is not dependent upon expansion of the cellular
polyurethane elastomeric structure of either lower portion 12 or
upper portion 14. In other words, travel in the +y direction of
frame F is not restricted by spring enhancer 10 and is solely
dependent upon the rate of elongation of shock absorber S.
[0053] Because automotive manufacturers use non-conforming designs,
a single configuration for suspension enhancer 10 and the
associated mounting equipment is not possible. The precise
configuration will be dependent on the suspension-frame
specifications of the particular make and model of vehicle for
installation and available space between axle and frame. At the
very least, the height and width of upper portion 14 and lower
portion 12 must be of sufficient mass to permit the desired
damping. Weight and height will be dependent upon the type of
vehicle. For example, a lighter weight vehicle does not require as
much mass for each portion as would a heavier vehicle.
[0054] By way of further example, the suspension enhancer of the
invention applicable to a 2013 Chevy 3500 will have an upper female
portion being approximately 6 inches in diameter and 4.25 inches in
height which includes plate 18. The corresponding lower male
portion is approximately 6 inches in diameter and 4.75 inches in
height which includes plate 16. The male extension of the lower
spring portion is tapered from 2 inches diameter to 1.5 inches
diameter and is 1.75 inches tall. The male extension inserts into a
matching sized female cavity of the upper spring portion. The
distal end of the lower spring portion has a flat surface annular
region which extends about 1 inch from the base of the male
extension out to the perimeter. This flat surface annular area
matches with a corresponding annulus on the upper spring portion
around the female cavity. Both portions are made of VULKOLLAN.RTM.
having a density of about 0.47 gm/cc. Because the opposing surfaces
of upper and lower portions contact each other, the overall height
of the suspension enhancer when contact occurs is approximately
7.25 inches including plates 16 and 18 which themselves are about
0.25 inches thick. The size of the spring enhancer will differ
depending on vehicle size. Typically the outside diameter of the
spring enhancer will range from 3 inches for lighter vehicles to 6
inches for heavier vehicles and the overall assembled heights can
range from under 4 inches for lighter vehicles up to over 8.5
inches for heavier vehicles.
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